Apparatus for breaking material



Feb. 14, 1939. F, H. ARMSTRONG A 2,146,879 y APPARATUS FOR BREAKING MATERIAL l Filed Sept. 24, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet l l/ I Amm,

Feb. 14, 1939.Y F. H. ARMSTRONG 2,146,879.

' 'APPARATUS FIOR BREAKING MATERIAL Y v Filed sept. 24, 1935 2 sheets-sheet' 2 EN v y Mm N w Patented Feb. 14, 1939 APPARATUS FOR BREAKING MATERIAL Frank Hall Armstrong, Michigan City, Ind., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Cardox Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application September 24, 1935, Serial No. '41,863

' 5 Claims.

in mines. An object of the invention is to provide an Aim-A proved method of and apparatus for breaking down coal from the coal face in a coal mine. Another object is to provide an improved material breaking apparatus of the type wherein highly compressed air is employed as a material breaking medium and having improved means for effecting discharge of the compressed airiwhen the breaking apparatus is suitably positioned in a drill hole in the material to be broken. Yet another object is to provide an improved material breaking apparatus wherein a semi-portable air compressor located at a point remote from the coal face is employed for supplying high pres- 20 sure air throu'gh long lines of tubing to the material breaking devices located in drill holes in the coal seam, and having associated therewith improved control means located relatively near the coalface at a point remote from the com- 95 pressor, whereby the supply of air to the material breaking device and the discharge of air from the latter to effect charge release, may be readily controlled. A still further object is to provide a .novel system for breaking down material in mines. 30 These and other objects will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

5 In these drawings: 4

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a portion of a mine showing an air breaking device in position in a drill hole in the coal seam,'the remote control valve, the compressor in the cross 40 cut, and the tubing extending between the compresser control valves and the air breaking device. Y'

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the control valves.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the valves in a different position.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a mine equipped with the illustrative form of the improved air breaking system.

In this illustrative construction I indicates an air compressor of the semi-portable high pressure type, located in its station formed in one of alternate cross-cuts in the chain pillar of the mine, so that several rooms can be supplied with high pressure air through long lines of tubing 2 located in alternate rooms. In this instance, the

Cl.A 102-5) air compressor-is shown in position to supply air pressure to a plurality of rooms, herein eight in number, the rooms, in Fig. 4, indicated at A, B, C, `l), E, F, G', andH. 'The parallel mine entries are indicated at I and J, and K indicates the 5 cross-cuts in the chain pillar between the mine entries. In room A, a drill 3 is shown in drilling position for drilling the holes for receiving -the airbreaking devices. Rooms B, D and E are shown with the coal face drilled ready for shoot- 10 ing, while roomH shows a coal cutting machine 4 making an undercut across the coal face.

Rooms C and F show the coal face broken down ready for loading, while room G shows an air breaking device in position in a drill hole ready for breaking down the coal. Located in breakthroughs L between alternate rooms are the improved remote controlvalves, generally designated 5.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the air breaking devices are each in the form of an air shell 6 arranged in a drill hole I drilled in the coal seam above an undercut kerf 8 .formed by the coal cutting machine 4. The drill hole at the outer end Aof the hole is preferably tamped at 9. The air shell may be of the type similar to that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 18,579, filed April 27, 1935, which has matured -into PatentNo. 2,083,548, dated June 15, 1937,

wherein a differential valve mechanism is employed for controlling the release of the coal breaking charge from Athe air shell, and embodyv'ing a. control piston mounted in a control chamber. The control piston is held in valve closing position by the pressure in the shell and opens automatically the valve to release the charge of air pressure when the control chamber isl vented to atmosphere. As the detailed construction of the shell does not per se enter into this invention, further description thereof is considered unnecessary. Y'

' Now referring to the improved remote control valves 5, one of which is shown in Figs. 2 'and 3,

it will be noted that a casing I0 has end bores I I and I2 connected by an axial passage I3. 45 Threaded within the bore Il is a plug Il in turn having a bore I5 in Which-a stem I6 of a doubleended control valve I1 is slidably guided. A stuffing box I8 seals tightly against the periphery of the valve' stem to prevent leakage past the 50 stem, and a gland number I9 is provided for maintaining the packing in tightsealing` relation. Threaded in the bore I2 is a plug 20 having a bore 2I in which is threadedly mountedan adjusting screw 22 having a polygonal operating portion 23. 55

f lThisy screw 'is' formed integral with. thefvalve Il.

' "ff f f .f The plug-'Mis formed withan' axialchamber 2&1: "'"'""""1@jsurrounded'atthe inner'faceofthe plugby an",

' 'annular valve seat 25,' Whilethe'plug 2B isformed y,

yi @i5 yman axial chamber 26 surounded lat'the yinner l f 1 ifac'e' of the "plug by yan annular"v valve ySeat 2l., f 1 'l'i'areadedlyconnectedatMaudit,.respectivelyv f r f r'withingtheopposite,sidesof thecasing; isthe; 1, 1 tf1 1ML-n. ;tubingzfleadingfromthefair compressortothe r` f '10 i ir shell.r The endiofthe borelilandthe adja,

f1 f r ff f `rrcent endfof theplugrlll' are grooved'to form and z'iffti-"if,. LA i annular recess Manda passageifcorinects'thisf 1 1 'l i recess withithe tubing-*Zuwhile passage 32 con- Y *nects this'recessE withthe chamber 2l: Theplug l5 '20 is sealed tightly againstiagasket 33 aigainstthe i 'endy Wall of the bore l2., and `formedfinithewalll ofy 1' the bore' surrounding 'the' rinnery portion,r of(y cthe y 1 1 l plugin; is an annulfarfrecess'lconnected by pas# y 1 f i i sage 35 to; atmosphere. yPassage' connects the f 52() chamberrzswahthe recess vr3|.; Whentnelvalve 'f :H is inth'e *positionshcwnr in Iilg12, air underr Ahigh pressureVr may ow from the air "compressor f hrough the 'tubing i2. to 'the air shell.; y:'Tl'ie alr Jpressure'ffrom :they rcorri;ressor .flowing thi-migrar 1 l 25; wss-.age ilflzy,'recessfiimy passage y32; through thegaxial 1 chamber 25jatrialpassagefy I3 to the jair shell; Whiler communication of.r the axial` passager fl 3 with the l yentl passage y3;'5l is cutoff :by the" Valve ,seatedly if y i'ifgsliinisttlieseat.'2l.i l'Villienthe adjusting screWfZZg 'f A 3,52 is adjusted "axially to' move'. the valve rintof' the @position ."Showfnl in Figi., 3, fthe; air rshell 'control'ivi 1, .chamber is ivented tov atmosphere 'through axial I 'i i' 'l passage 113'; axial chamber ligpassages,groove 1 1r 314,*andfvent passage y35',vr 'while' the rsupply offair f- ,315 pressure from' the compressori to the 'shell is out l j on' by the' valve seating tightly :againsty the yseaty 25,

bergztiwithfthe axiatpassage'll f f 1 1 ifInfthisirrxproved,material'breakingl system th l 1 n f, l

sur ccmpressor isiprefrabl'y, locandiera' remote lPmmmg ai: #me end Ofj 1 5, llore' it langsam; l point'ffp'omith'e wal mein thcompress'or Statidn' f rpresented to: anend of saidintermedlatepassage. f t -K whilelthel control valves are located in the break-throughs L formed in the-pillars of the s alternate roomsfand substantially'athousand feet :of .tubingextend between thesecontrol valves 5 `'andthe compressor, whileronly substantially fty- `feet lof 'tubing extend between the valves `5 and the air shells. of tubing between they control valves 5 vand the 50 compressor'always contain'h'igh pressure air, so

Y ,supplyxairpressure to the air shells in'a number that whenit'is desired to operate the air shells, it

" isunnecessary for the compressor to pump up a highA pressure in long lines of tubing and as a n i result', the timeconsi'lrned in loading the shells is 55 greatly' reduced; Thecontrol valves'are located at a safe point for the'o'perator' in the' break'- throughs'relativel'y close to thecoalface so that the operator may readily controlthe'release of the `,air chargesdnto the drill. holes. It will further be of rooms,l the Aair compressor. being located away 1; `from vthe congested areauat the Working face.

r Other uses rand advantages -of 1 the improved 'methodof andapparatus for breaking material will be clearly aparent'to those skilled in the art.

V701 While'there-is in-this application specically Vcfj-tration'and that'the invention maybe modifiedVl Y 75' and embodied in various-other forms without described one form which the'invention may as- "surnefinnpractice, it will be understood that this y 1 forni/of thesame is Ashown for .purposes of illus# 1 break-through It will be noted that theflong lengths i departing from yits ,f spirit or. the scopekr `of the t :appended c1aims i what 11013131138 new Letters yPatent is; I l

yshells reachdesired valuesand for stoppingiluid 1 flow and venting to the atmospherer for any parf 1 f ticular :shell the; 'differential f pressure creating 2 f L .,i'ractionof. thejshell charge'y andtheair from 1 t the lSifetn'Qitubing'extending betweenthe ysaid f meansi anditlrrevfshellly being f actuated `to leiect ,l operation ofthe ,shell discharge mechanism.y f l a passage between the bore of one plug and the atmosphere, a tubing connection communicating with the intermediate passage of the casing, a line of tubing of considerable lengthconnected fand rdesire to secure; by', f f

; '1.' Means rfor'b'l'eaking coal in mines 'compris-1' f 1 ing an airr shelli adapted tor be inserted rin each f 1 of a pluralityfof drillholes yformed 1inthe coaif 1 1 seam indifferenty mine rooms,vr each air shell inf 1 f cludingi discharge 'mechanism operablevfby a diff f 1 ferential Ifluid pressure condition. created therebyl f y by; venting; from the .shell yto the :atmosphere ay fraction of the rtotal* shell charge,r a source of f 1 f compressed air' located at astation removed fromr y y f princlpaltramc lanes andremote from the coal f f tace, long lines of tubingy connectingthe several I f 1' slnallsfetoy the source yof lcompressed airl with each y i t f i of said 'lines' extending through at least one f 1 connection 1 between f ad3acent 1 rooms :and y located close toy the coal faces being y workedi upon, andi meansr in the portionsr of the 1 1 1 lines of tubingl locatedr in; said break-throughs l for yetecting yfluid :nowl through the long,r lines 1; t .f f 1p1?A rtubing .from the Sourcev to the: several Ishells, 1 y f untilr thje pressures of the charges inthe several f y l r2. In an airi 'shooting v'apparatus,l 'ai Asoin-ce of pressure supply,y a blasting shell Ladapted to be f 1 Y positioned in adrill hole-r remotelyflocated rwith t v respect f to said source and. operable to' release 1` f v lits' pressure charge rupon venting of a .portion 1 i f therebyfcuttinsioif 'communication ofthe cnam yi kme pressure i charge, e' Casing, having endfbores t f f l i v,and aniintermediatefpassagea boredfplugde-t. f

ltachably mountedfin each asing. end rbore and; 1 I

to the source of pressure supply and said tubing connectionpassage, a second tubing connection passage communicating with the bore of the other plug, a line of tubing of less length than the first mentioned line connected to the shell and the second tubing connection passage, and a reciprocal valve body positioned in said intermediate passage of the casing and movable to alternately engage the valve seats provided by said plugs to selectively elect communication between the source of supply and the shell and to interrupt such communication and vent to the atmosphere the shorter line of tubing and said portion of pressure charge from the shell.

3.,In an air shooting apparatus, a source of pressure supply, a shell remotely located with respect to the source of supply and operable to release its pressure charge upon venting of a portion of the pressure charge, tubing of substantial length leading from the supply to the .shell and extending through at least one breakthrough connection between adjacent mine rooms which is located closer to the coal face being worked upon than' the source of pressure supply, and a control device connected in the portion of the tubing which extends through said breakthrough connection and being operable selectively to effect communication between the supply and the shell and to interrupt such communication and vent the portion of the tubing leading from the shell to the control device.

smears 5. ln a air shooting apparatus, a source of.

4. Means for breaking coal in mines compris lng an air shell adapted to be inserted in a drill hole formed in the coal seam, said shell lnclud= lng discharge mechanism operable by a dierential fluid pressure condition created thereby by venting from the shell to the atmosphere a portion of the total shell charge, a source of com pressed air located at a station removed from principal trame lanes and remote from the coal face, a long line of tubing connecting the shell to the source of compressed air and extending through at least one breakuthrough connection between adjacent rooms and located close to the coal face being worked upon, and means in the portion of the line of tubing located in said breakthrough for effecting iluid flow through the long line of tubing from the source of supply to the shell until the pressure of the charge in the shell reaches a desired value and for stopping uid ow and venting to the atmosphere the diiferential pressure creating fraction of the shell charge and the air from the section of tubing extending `between the said means and the shell to effect operation of the shell discharge mechanism.

pressure supply, a blasting shell adapted to be positioned in a drill hole remotely located with respect to said source and operable to release its pressure charge upon venting or" a portion of the pressure charge, a valve casing having a bore and a plurality or chambers arranged in alignment, a line of tubing or" considerable length connected to the source of pressure supply and one of said easing chambers, a vent passage communicating with the other of the casing cha bers, a line oi tubing of less length than the lrst mentioned line connected to the shell and the casing bore, and a reciprocating valve body positioned in said casing bore and movable to alternately eect communication between the casing bore to which the shell' tubing is connected and the casing chamber to which the source of supply is connected and to interrupt said communication andconnect the chamber having the vent passage to the casing bore so as to vent the shorter line of tubing and said portion of pres sure charge from the shell. 

